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From: DC0165s, Clifford, Mary Scofield. Reminiscences, 1920 (View Finding Aid)
Transcript
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Woodrow Wilson
D.H. Hill
Stonewall Jackson
Education of Women
July 14,1920 [1]
My dear Miss Shaw [2],
Your letter of July 13 has just reached me. I fear that I shall be able to give you very little help in your [Historical] work. As to President Wilson and the Catawba River incident [3], I have never heard of it. Woodrow Wilson boarded [4]] with my mother when a student at Davidson for some time, how long I do not know. I remember that when he became a candidate for President the first time he wrote a letter to my mother S.C. Scofield asking his support. [Illegible] may be able to tell you something about this. As to the chandelier [5] in the “Phi” Hall [6], I heard in those days that it had been in use of Napoleon’s Palaces and that the Empress Josephine had armed it and stood beneath it. There was a little item that I think may prove of interest to you and that is the fact that Major, later a lieutenant general, D.H. Hill [7] was professor of mathematics in the late 60’s, I think. I used to know him quite well. He married Miss Morrison, whose father was Rev. R.M. Morrison, D.D. [8],
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the first president of Davidson College and Stonewall Jackson [9] married her sister Julia. Our pew in the old chapel [10] was just behind Major Hill’s – and I remember that when Stonewall Jackson came into Mecklenburg County for his bride, he spent the Sabbath with Major Hill and attending the morning service in the chapel. Dr. Drury Lacy [11] preached and according to his custom made a very, very, very, long prayer before the sermon. I was between 10 and 12 years of age and that prayer was always a great trial for me. I’d lean on my screaming elbows upon the back of the seat in front of me, stand first on one foot and then on the other and wonder if the old Dr. would ever say “Amen.” But on that Sabbath when the stranger stood beside Maj. Hill and directly in front of me, I was deeply interested in his military uniform and his perfect immobility. I thought him the stillest living thing I had ever seen. For later years when he became the famous “Stonewall” I recall that experience with a great thrill of pride and pleasure. There’s one more item I’ll give you that may be of interest. You know in the 60’s there were not
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many “boys” in College, not only was the number few but the “boys” were little fellows. We were at that time living near Mt. Mourne [12]. Because I had been a pupil under Dr. Samuel Lander [13] in the Lincolnton Female Seminary [14] and had become a Latin enthusiast, my father went down to Davidson and asked his special friend, Professor E.F. Rockwell [15] if I could gain admission to the College classes. He said “no” and because the trustees would not allow a “girl” to enter college classes but that he would take me as his private pupil in Latin. [Illegible] for a whole year I rode on horseback the 5 miles from my farm down to Davidson and recited with Prof. Rockwell making a very remarkable record. Prof Rockwell gave me a testimonial which stated that I had covered more ground in Latin than was required by the course of study in Yale or Harvard. Later on Professor W.G. Richardson [16] took me as a private pupil in French so I managed to get a taste of college training. By the way I hear that Professor Richardson is just down
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as “Rev.” He was not a “Rev” at all but a very polished gentleman and a fine scholar. I was very fond of him and of his wife and children. I taught several of the children. I went to Dr. Phillips [17] and asked him to take me as a private pupil in math, but he questioned me as to what work I had done in math, and after I gave him a statement he said I had done fully enough for a woman. I have always felt that it was hard for a woman to be cut out of a chance for a college course of study that stood for something. In my day the schools for girls were not at all thorough. If I have strength enough I am planning to write out a history of my experiences in getting an education under the old regime. It was a poor chance reading, writing, and a little arithmetic tacked on to “Society Training” [18] was supposed to be all that a girl could hope for. I am sorry that I can not give you more of what you are seeking, but I hope you’ll get it elsewhere.
With deep interest in your work I am very sincerely yours,
Mrs. B.G Clifford [19] [Mary Scofield Clifford]
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P.S. The only way you could be sure about President Wilson and the Catawba incident will be first hand information by writing to him. I had a very nice letter from him some years ago written of course by his secretary. I must beg you to excuse this scrawl, I’ve written under difficulties
[Additional information added by Dr. Chalmers Davidson [20]:
Writer of this was born Mary Scofield, dau of John Nichols Scofield [21] (b .N.Y 1816 d. out west) She born in Columbia, SC
Her mother was Sara Clastrier (Mrs.John N. Scofield)
When JN Scofield was building Chambers [22], they lived in Tammany [23] (where their dau Julie fell out of the window- not hurt)
after Mr.Scofield died out west, Mrs. Scofield returned to Davidson and lived in the present Barns house on N Main St [24](1954) this was where Woodrow Wilson took his meals in ‘73
Children of John N and Sarah Scofield:
Mary (clifford) 1846-1922
Steven Charles 1847-1917
M. Mary Jane Knox of Mt. Mourne and moved to present Scofield house (Store) in Davidson in 1870.
Sarah Jane (Knox) 1849-1902
John Nichols 1851- D in Ten.
James D. Infancy
Susan 1856-1904 unmarried
Will died infancy
Julia (Oetzel) 1860-1932
From the records of Misses Minnie and Sadie Scofield maiden daughters of Stephen Charles Scofield]
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Annotations
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[1] In 1920, Mary Clifford would have been 74 years old. During this time, Cornelia Shaw was gathering the history of early Davidson, as many of the first to experience it were deceased or as old as Mrs. Clifford. The time period that Mrs. Clifford writes about is more than likely the late 1860’s and early 1870’s, where she would have been in her late teens and early twenties. At this time Davidson’s faculty was the largest it had ever been in hopes of improving its academic program. In 1869, Davidson College had a full curriculum (A History of Davison College, Beaty).
[2] Miss Shaw- Cornelia Shaw became the first Davidson Librarian in 1907 and also acted as the college registrar until 1921. Shaw remained the college librarian for 15 more years, retiring in 1936. Shaw would keep up with alumni and members of the Davidson community, including Mary Scofield Clifford, Anne Sampson, and Lucy Russell. Shaw published a history of the town incorporating information from these letters (Carpenter et. Al.). For more information visit: https://davidsonarchivesandspecialcollections.org/archives/encyclopedia/cornelia-shaw
[3] Catawba River Incident- Legend that Woodrow Wilson nearly drowned in the Catawba River but was saved by a former slave (Blodgett).
[4] Boarding- Davidson College did not take full responsibility for the dining of students from 1850 until after World War II. They would typically eat, or board, with a family on or off campus residents of the town would prepare the meals (Wheeler and Ivins). Mrs. Scofield, the mother of the Mary Clifford ran a boarding house while living at Davidson, and even boarded Woodrow Wilson while he attended the college.
[5] Chandelier- The Chandelier in Philanthropic Hall is a duplicate of the chandelier that Napoleon III was married under. This piece was exhibited at the Royal Palace in London in 1851 and New York City in1853 before being purchased and presented to Davidson College in 1854 (“The Napoleonic Chandelier”).
[6] Phi Hall- Phi Hall is short for Philanthropic Hall, the building that housed one of the first student organizations on campus, the Philanthropic Literary Society (Sanchez). Phi Hall was built in 1850 and later restored in 1956, and declared a Historical Site in 1976. Phi Hall is still used today by student organizations and the College (“Phi Hall”).
[7] D.H. Hill- Daniel Harvey Hill, born in 1821, graduated from West Point in 1842. He served as a major in the Mexican American War from 1846-1848 and as a Lieutenant General for the Confederate Army in the Civil War from 1861-1865. He was the chair of the Davidson College Mathematics Department from 1854-1859. Hill married Isabella Morrison, the eldest daughter of Reverend R.H. Morrison, the first president of Davidson College (Lingle 21). For more, visit: https://davidsonarchivesandspecialcollections.org/archives/encyclopedia/daniel-harvey-hill
[8] R.M. Morrison- Born in 1789 in Cabarrus County, NC, R.M Morrison graduated from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill in 1818 and was licensed to preach in 1820 by Concord Presbytery. He was elected the first president of Davidson College in 1836, the youngest to ever do so. He filled in chairs in the Mathematics and Sciences departments beginning when the school opened in March of 1837. He resigned around July of 1840 (Lingle 20). For more information visit: https://davidsonarchivesandspecialcollections.org/archives/encyclopedia/robert-hall-morrison
[9] Stonewall Jackson- Born in 1821, Thomas “Stonewall” Jackson was one of the leading commanders of the Confederate Army during the Civil War. In July of 1857 he married Mary Anna Morrison, the daughter of Reverend Robert Morrison, the first president of Davidson College. His brother-in-law was Lieutenant General D.H. Hill, a mathematics professor at Davidson. Jackson was successful in his military endeavors including the First and Second Battle of Bull Run. He died in 1863 (Wikipedia). For more on his life and legacy, visit: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stonewall_Jackson
[10] Old Chapel- The Old Chapel refers to a chapel on Davidson’s campus where regular church service was held. Built in 1837, the chapel was remodeled and renamed Shearer Hall in 1901. It was then demolished in 1960.
[11] Dr. Drury Lacy- Reverend Drury Lacy, A.M., D.D was born in 1802 in Prince Edward County, Virginia. He studied for one year at Washington College, (now Washington and Lee University) graduated in 1822 from Hampden-Sidney College, and graduated from Union Theological Seminary in 1832. He got his A.M in 1839 D.D in 1852 from the University of North Carolina. He was president of Davidson College from 1855-1861 and an avid pastor (Lingle 22). For more information visit: https://davidsonarchivesandspecialcollections.org/archives/encyclopedia/drury-lacy
[12] Mount Mourne- Mount Mourne is a community in Iredell County North Carolina just north of the town of Davidson and 4 miles south of Mooresville. This was named after the Mount Mourne cotton plantation founded in the area (Beaty 16). For more information see: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mount_Mourne,_North_Carolina
[13] Samuel Lander- Samuel Lander was a Methodist minister who founded the Lincolnton Female Seminary and was the co-president of Spartanburg Female College. Lander also taught various college courses at Catawba College in Newton, North Carolina, Greensboro College in Greensboro, North Carolina, and Randolph-Macon College in Boydton, Virginia (“Historical Note”). For more information: http://www.lander.edu/Library/Lander-Archive/Samuel-Lander.aspx
[14] Lincolnton Female Seminary- Lincolnton Female Seminary was a college established for women in Lincolnton, North Carolina in a time when women’s education was scarce in this part of the state (“Historical Note”).
[15] E.F. Rockwell- Born in 1809 in Connecticut, Reverend Elijah Frank Rockwell, M.A. D.D. graduated from Yale College in 1831 and was a student at Columbia and Princeton Seminaries for two years. Rockwell taught Chemistry, Philosophy, Latin, and Modern History at Davidson from 1850 until 1868 (Lingle 21). He earned his D.D from the University of North Carolina in 1888.
[16] W.G. Richardson- Born in 1825 in Maysville, Kentucky, Reverend Wilson Gaines Richardson, M.A, PhD. graduated from the University of Alabama in 1844 and then was connected with their departments of Ancient Languages and English while he earned his M.A. Richardson then earned his Ph.D. from Hiram College. He taught at various schools such as the University of Mississippi, Central University of Kentucky, and Austin College among others. He taught Ancient and Modern Languages at Davidson College from 1866 to 1874 (Lingle 25).
[17] Dr. Phillips- Born in 1822 in Harlem, New York, Reverend Charles Phillips, D.D., LL.D graduated from the University of North Carolina in 1841 and earned his D.D. here in 1868, as well as earning his LL.D from Davidson College in 1876. He was Professor of Engineering at UNC from 1853-1860 and Professor of Mathematics from 1860-1868. He taught Mathematics, Astronomy, and Engineering at Davidson College from 1868-1875 (Lingle 25).
[18] Society Training- Women’s education was not at an equal to that of men at the time. For example, a modern course of study at a female college included languages, composition, music, painting, and history (Greensboro College Archives). For a more detailed look visit : https://museum.greensboro.edu:42001/Images/BeyondBooks/Academic_Catalogs/AC_1860-61.pdf
[19] B.G. Clifford- Born in 1849 in Salisbury, NC, Reverend Branch Greenleaf Clifford graduated from Davidson College in 1870. He was a member of the Philanthropic Literary Society while at Davidson (Lingle 91) and later served in the Confederate Army during the Civil War (Chester News 6). He married Mary Clifford in 1874 and helped to found the Clifford Female Seminary in Union, SC (Chester News 5).
[20] Chalmers Davidson- Born in 1907, Chalmers Davidson attended Davidson College and graduated summa cum laude in 1928. He continued his education further, earning his M.A. and PhD at Harvard University in 1930 and 1942 respectively. He served as the Director of the Davidson College Library from 1936 to 1976 in addition to also teaching history (Sloop). For more information visit: https://davidsonarchivesandspecialcollections.org/archives/encyclopedia/chalmers-davidson
[21] John N. Scofield- Born in 1816 in New York, John N. Scofield supervised the construction of Chambers Hall on Davidson College’s campus (“Scofield, John Nichols (1816-1867)”). <http://ncarchitects.lib.ncsu.edu/people/P000109>.
[22] Chambers- Chambers building, the main academic building at Davidson College. The first Chambers, as referred to in the letter was built in 1860 and “was considered one of the finest academic buildings of the south” (Burnett 13). The building later burned down and was rebuilt in 1929 (Fernandez). https://davidsonarchivesandspecialcollections.org/archives/encyclopedia/chambers-old
[23] Tammany- Refers to Tammany Hall, where the Scofield family lived during the construction of the Chambers building (“Scofield, John Nichols (1816-1867)”). This building served as the home for one of the original professors at Davidson and was torn down for the construction of another building in 1901 (“Shearer Hall”).
[24] N. Main St.- The street bordering the north side of Davidson College’s campus and one of the main roads used in the town of Davidson.
Biography:
Mary Scofield Clifford was born in Columbia, South Carolina in 1846. Her father, John N. Scofield, was the contractor for the building of Old Chambers in the Davidson College campus (Finding Aid 1). Her mother, Sarah C. Scofield ran a boarding house, Barnes House, which is still standing in 2014, at Davidson College (Last of the Scofields 1-2). The family, with six other children at the time moved to Davidson and Mt.Mourne, North Carolina before the construction of Chambers and remained here throughout Mary’s childhood (Scofield Genealogy 1). She was tutored by Davidson Faculty and attended the Lincolnton Female Seminary (Finding Aid 1). Mary Scofield later became a teacher and was the principal of the Female Academy in Union, South Carolina. She married Davidson Alum and Civil War veteran, Reverend B.G Clifford on January 2, 1874 in Chester, South Carolina. In 1881, both her and her husband organized the Clifford Seminary, a private school in Union, South Carolina for educational and religious purposes (Chester News 4-10). She died in 1922, two years after this correspondence with Cornelia Shaw.
Works cited
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Beaty, Mary D. A History of Davidson College. Davidson: Briarpatch Press, 1988. Print.
Beaty, Mary D. Davidson, A History of the Town From 1835 Until 1937. Davidson: Briarpatch Press, 1979. Print.
Blodgett, Jan. Personal Interview. 23 April. 2014.
Bullock, J. Marshall, and Catherine W. Bishir. “Scofield, John Nichols (1816-1867).” NC Architects & Builders : NCSU Libraries. The NCSU Libraries, 2009. Web. 28 Apr. 2014. <http://ncarchitects.lib.ncsu.edu/people/P000109>.
Carpenter, Blair and Haley DeLuca, Chandler Gray, Dawei Gu “Cornelia Shaw,” Davidson Encyclopedia, October 2011< https://davidsonarchivesandspecialcollections.org/archives/encyclopedia/cornelia-shaw/ >.
Catalog of the Officers and students of Greensboro Female College for the Collegiate Year 1860-1861. Greensboro College. Greensboro, NC. Web. <https://museum.greensboro.edu:42001/Images/BeyondBooks/Academic_Catalogs/AC_1860-61.pdf> .
Chester News. Scofield Family Collection, 1883-1962. DC0190S. Davidson College Archives, Davidson College, NC.
Fernandez, Jennifer. “Chambers – The Old and the New” Davidson?Encyclopedia October 2003 <https://davidsonarchivesandspecialcollections.org/archives/encyclopedia/chambers-the-old-and-the-new/>.
Finding Aid for Mary Scofield Clifford. DC0165s. Davidson College Archives, Davidson College, NC.
“Historic Union Post Card Exhibit.” Union County Museum » Home Page. Union Museum, 2014. Web. 06 May 2014. <http://unioncountymuseum.com/>.
“Historical Note.” Lander Archive. Lander University, n.d. Web. 28 Apr. 2014. <http://www.lander.edu/Library/Lander-Archive/Samuel-Lander.aspx>.
Last of the Scofields. Scofield Family Collection, 1883-1962. DC0190s. Davidson College Archives, Davidson College, NC.
Lingle, Thomas W. ET. Al. Alumni Catalogue of Davidson College Davidson,N.C. 1837-1924. Charlotte, NC: Presbyterian, 1924. Print.
“The Napoleonic Chandelier”. Buildings, Davidson College Philanthropic Literary Society Hall. Davidson College Archives, Davidson College, NC.
“Philanthropic Hall” Davidson College Encyclopedia. <https://davidsonarchivesandspecialcollections.org/archives/encyclopedia/philanthropic-hall>.
Photograph of faculty. Photograph number DC-0235s-7. Davidson College Archives, Davidson, NC.
Photo of the front and north sides of Phi Hall with an electric pole in front of it. Photograph number 9-0978a. Davidson College Archives, Davidson, NC.
Photograph number 9-1970. Davidson College Archives, Davidson, NC.
Sanchez, James. “Eumenean and Philanthropic Literary Societies” Davidson Encyclopedia?December 2003 <https://davidsonarchivesandspecialcollections.org/archives/encyclopedia/literary-societies/>.
Scofield Genealogy. Scofield Family Collection, 1883-1962. DC0190S. Davidson College Archives, Davidson College, NC.
Sloop, Alice. “Chalmers Gaston Davidson ” Davidson Encyclopedia October?2009 <https://davidsonarchivesandspecialcollections.org/archives/encyclopedia/chalmers-davidson/>.
“Shearer Hall” Davidson Encyclopedia. <https://davidsonarchivesandspecialcollections.org/archives/encyclopedia/shearer-hall>.
“Stonewall Jackson.” Wikipedia. Wikimedia Foundation, 27 Apr. 2014. Web. <http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stonewall_Jackson>.
Three People stand in front of the old Chapel. Photograph number 9-0348c. Davidson College Archives, Davidson, NC.
Wheeler, David and Tammy Ivins. “Dining at Davidson” Davidson Encyclopedia July 2007 <https://davidsonarchivesandspecialcollections.org/archives/encyclopedia/dining-at-davidson/>.
Transcription and annotation author: Ryan Zoldowski.
Date: May 2014.
Cite as: Zoldowski, Ryan, annotator. 14 July 1920 Mary S. Clifford letter to Miss Shaw. DC0165s.
Available: https://davidsonarchivesandspecialcollections.org/archives/digital-collections/mary-s-clifford-letter-14-july-1920.
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